Wysoka (Wysokie Skałki), Pieniny

Wysoka, also known as Wysokie Skałki (1050 m, precisely 1049.9 m), is the highest peak of the Pieniny Mountains and of the whole Pieniny Klippen Belt, and the Polish–Slovak border runs right over its summit. The forest ends just below the top, and you suddenly step out onto a dome of red limestone with railings and a view of the Tatras. The nicest route starts in Jaworki and leads through the Homole Gorge – you can reach the top in under two hours.

History: a mountain known for centuries

The peak appears in old records, and people even prospected for ore here. A mining document from 1739 describes the mountain as the highest in the area, round, with a rock on top like a castle, and adds that it is so hard to climb that a man on foot can barely get up. The local Lemkos called it Pamiarky – probably after an old triangulation tower – or Kiczera, after the mountain pasture below the summit. The first recorded winter ascent on skis was made in 1929 by Marian Gotkiewicz and his companions. Wysoka is part of the Crown of Polish Mountains, a popular peak-bagging list.

Nature

The summit is made of red crinoidal limestone. To the east and south-east it drops in cliffs 5–20 m high. The whole mountain is protected: its southern slopes lie in Slovakia's Pieniny National Park, and on the Polish north-western slope the Wysokie Skałki nature reserve was created in 1961. It protects the only patch of upper-montane spruce forest in the Pieniny. Rare mosses and an endangered fungus, the violet crown cup, have been found here.

How to get up

• Green trail from Jaworki through the Homole Gorge – about 3.6 km one way with 515 m of ascent. The path follows a narrow gorge over metal footbridges across the Kamionka stream; it takes about 30 minutes to Dubantowska Polana meadow with the Stone Books rocks, then about 75 minutes more to the summit. The final stretch through the forest is the steepest.
• From Szczawnica – along the ridge of the Lesser Pieniny, for example after taking the chairlift up Palenica. VisitMałopolska suggests a 13.5 km route Szczawnica – Wysoka – Homole Gorge – Jaworki.
• From Slovakia – from the Stráňanské sedlo pass, about 1 hr 20 min.

The trails meet below the Kapralowa Wysoka pass. The final climb to the top is steep, in places on railed iron steps, past a small viewing gallery.

Tripto tip

There is little room on the summit, so on fine days in season set off early. The panorama takes in the Tatras, Babia Góra, the Radziejowa range, Spišská Magura, the Levoča Mountains and the main Pieniny. Instead of returning the same way, follow the blue trail along the ridge to the Durbaszka mountain hut (up to an hour) and then the gravel track down to Jaworki – you will come out right by the car park. Jaworki is about 7 km beyond Szczawnica; there is a large car park at the entrance to the village.